GRAND CANYON, AZ — A daring feline rescue unfolded at Grand Canyon National Park on Friday after a cat became stranded high in a tree, prompting a swift response from park firefighters and first responders.
The black-and-white cat, later identified as 2-year-old Archie, was spotted clinging precariously to a branch about 15 feet up a ponderosa pine near the park’s Mather Campground on the South Rim. The Grand Canyon National Park Service (NPS) shared images of the stranded cat on X (formerly Twitter), showing the animal balanced awkwardly on its stomach mid-branch.
“Tree-climbing for the purr-fect panorama,” the agency quipped in its post, appealing to the public for help locating Archie’s owners.
By 1 p.m., responders successfully retrieved the cat using a ladder, with one firefighter ascending to the branch while another stabilized it below. Hours later, at around 7 p.m., the NPS confirmed Archie had been reunited with his family.
“Owners have been located,” the park announced in an update. “Thanks to all for your support and well wishes in getting this kitty home safe!”
A park spokesperson told PEOPLE that Archie had escaped from a nearby residential area before his arboreal misadventure.
A Week of Feline Rescues
The Grand Canyon incident follows another dramatic cat rescue in New York City earlier in the week. According to WABC, a cat dubbed PL Dunbar was stuck in a Harlem tree for five days before being coaxed down by Long Island Cat/Kitten Solution, Inc. on June 18. Local residents had reported hearing the cat’s cries for nights before the successful rescue.
While Archie’s story had a happy ending, the fate of PL Dunbar remains uncertain after the cat bolted post-rescue.
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